Bend, Ore., welcomes a new green hotel.

IF YOU'RE GOING...

Bend, Ore., is an easy sell in the warm months: seven breweries, diverse dining, and the glittering Deschutes River, not to mention the lava tubes, wildflower fields, and forests scattered alongside nearby hiking trails. How could you sweeten that deal? The Oxford Hotel, an elegant new green property smack in the middle of the city’s picture-perfect downtown, has answers.

Outfitted in woodsy browns and comfortably modern decor, the Oxford (877-440-8436, oxfordhotelbend.com) bespeaks eco-consciousness paired with luxury. Green touches abound: duvets made from recycled plastic bottles, non-chemical cleaning products, and floors of renewably harvested cork. In every room there’s a soaking tub, a French press coffeepot, and an iPod alarm clock. Many rooms (from $179 for AAA members) overlook the Cascade Range, and even the smallest, at 442 square feet, feels like a suite.

If the price seems steep, you can still enjoy the city and its environs while staying at the hip McMenamins Old St. Francis School (from $125; 877-661-4228, mcmenamins.com). Extra perk: One of the town’s breweries is built right in.

Photography courtesy of Denis Point

This article was first published in September 2010. Some facts may have aged gracelessly. Please call ahead to verify information.